Drift-bolt puller



F. ENGSTROM.

DRIFT BOLT FULLER.

' APPUCATION FILED DEC.20, 19w

Patented May 27, 1919.

FREDRICK ENGSTROM, OF WALLACE, IDAHO.

DRIFT-BOLT FULLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2'7, 1919.

Application filed December 20, 1918. Serial No. 267,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK ENGSTROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Wallace, in the county ofShoshone and State of Idaho, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Drift-Bolt Pullers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tools or devices for withdrawing drift bolts, large nails and spikes from heavy wood timbers; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a means whereby drift bolts and heavy spikes may be readily drawn from wood timbers when desired; and second, to provide a de vice whereby heavy construction may be more easily taken apart, than heretofore, and thus make a saving of time and materials.

I attain these objects by means of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top View of my invention and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 is also a side view of my invention, showing a saving special application of the operating lever ar. I

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

In the construction of railroad trestles, bridges, and false works, of wharfs, docks and other heavy wood structures, the large timbers are usually put together with drift bolts made of plain rods, or with heavy spikes. In case of a mistake or a desired change in construction these drift bolts and spikes are hard to withdraw owing to the need of a powerful tool with which to draw them. From the need of such a tool, timbers in trestles and bridges, in false works and docks, in mines and other places, are often sawed apart tQ wreck same, thus causing an expense of labor and a great waste of materials. With the use of my invention, a great of time and materials is accomplished. The bolts and spikes can be withdrawn with comparative ease with little or no damage to the materials, so that all may be used in further or future construction.

My invention comprisesa small thick disk 1, made of cast or drop forged steel. In the center of said disk is made an opening 2, preferably elliptical or oblong in shape and with a slight incline from a perpendicular with the faces of the disk as shown in the several figures. This hole 2 is designed to be large enough to fit loosely about the bolt or spike. Owing to the difliculty of putting the slipped on the stem of the bolt or spike.

On the left side of the disk-whioh we will designate as the front side as seen in the drawingand at right angles with the major axis of hole 2, is a V-shaped extension 4 on its bottom face. This V-shaped extension is designed to form a ridge or shoulder on which the force of the lever or crowbar 5 is to be applied to the disk. This ridge is continued along the rear side of the disk, as shown at 10 to reinforce same.

It will now be observed that when the disk is slipped on a drift bolt, indicated by broken lines 9, the sharp edges, of the hole 2 will contact it on the front at the top and on the rear at the bottom of the disk. The upward movement of the toe 6 of the crowbar 5, will cause the disk to so bite and grip the bolt that it will be pulled up with it till the handle of the crowbar is pushed down. When the handle of the crowbar is again raised, the disk drops down by gravity, taking a new bite lower down on the drift bolt ready to be lifted again on the toe of the crowbar. This operation is continued tillbolt or spike is withdrawn.

The device is of such a size that it can be carried in a workmans pocket, and used when needed. In places where men are working on a high bridge or trestle, the disk can be loosely chained to the crowbar as indicated at 7, and thus avoid dropping it.

Corroded drift bolts that have been in wood for a long time are very hard to withdraw. To meet this difficulty, I have a slot 8 in the bottom face of the disk and tangent with the front of the hole 2. Now, by lowering the handle of the crowbar till the toe 6 comes against the drift bolt 9, as shown in Fig. 3, and bearing against the front side of slot 8, it secures a firmer grip on the bolt 9 by binding it more tightly against the rear lower edge of the hole 2. In this position the crowbar is nearer the horizontal and greater force can be applied to it. By this means the withdrawing can be done by short pulls till the bolt becomes sufficiently loose to follow the first described operation.

It is to be observed the size and form of the hole 2 may be varied to fit any size or shape of bolt or spike, therefore, I do not limit myself to eXact detail.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A drift bolt puller comprising a metal disk with an inclined, oblong central hole therethrough, to receive, engage and withdraw driven bolts or spikes by lever power applied to said disk, said hole having an inclined slot opening in one side of said disk, and a downwardly extended shoulder on the under side of said disk, said downwardly extended shoulder being'at a right angle with major axis of said oblong hole as described and shown and for the purposes set forth.

2. A drift bolt puller comprising a metal disk with an inclined, oblong central hole therethrough to reecive, engage and withdraw driven bolts or spikes, said hole having an inclined slot opening in one side of said disk, and a slot, in the bottom face of said disk, said slot being parallel With said inclined opening and tangent to'the front side of said inclined oblong central hole to receive the toe of the lever bar as described and for the purposes set forth.

'FREDRICK ENGSTROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0." 

